Mine roof support assemblies

ABSTRACT

A mine roof support assembly composed of two independently movable frames each consisting of two or more telescopic props with roof engaging caps carried at their upper ends, the frames being interconnected through piston and cylinder units which enable the positional relationship between the frames to be adjusted. Each roof cap bears a slidable L-shaped cover member and the cover members of the frames have depending limbs which abut one another between the frames. A curved leaf spring is attached to each of the roof caps and has its ends slidably guided on the associated cover member so as to maintain the cover members in engagement with one another.

United States Patent 1191 Hidasi 1451 Apr. 24, 1973 1 MINE ROOF SUPPORTASSEMBLIES [75] Inventor: lstvan Hidasi, Viola u 7, Hungary [73]Assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia,

Westfalia, Germany [22 Filed: Sept. 14, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 180,325

[52] U.S. Cl. ..6l/45 D, 248/357 [51] Int. Cl. ..E2ld 17/00 [58] Fieldof Search ..61/45 D; 248/357;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,218,811 Barall et a1...61/45 D FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS France ..61/45 D Great Britain..6l/45 D Great Britain ..61/45 D Primary Examiner-Dennis L. TaylorAttorney-Chittick, Pfund, Samuels & Gauthier [5 7] ABSTRACT A mine roofsupport assembly composed of two independently movable frames eachconsisting of two or v more telescopic props with roof engaging capscarried at their upper ends, the frames being interconnected throughpiston and cylinder units which enable the positional relationshipbetween the frames to be adjusted. Each roof cap bears a slidableL-shaped cover member and the cover members of the frames have dependinglimbs which abut one another between the frames. A curved leaf spring isattached to each of the root caps and has its ends slidably guided onthe associated cover member so as to maintain the cover members inengagement with one another.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 24 my;

SHEET 1 BF 2 Fig.1.

PATENTEDAPR 24 1975 saw 2 BF 2 Fig.2

MINE ROOF SUPPORT ASSEMBLIES BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to movable roof support assemblies for use in mineralmines.

In mines having friable roofs, particularly with deposits of brown coaland the like, the entire roof surface must be covered as completely aspossible, at least between the adjacent roof engaging parts ofdisplaceable support frames to prevent material from falling from theroof into the frames. Attempts have been made, for instance, to placewooden boards over the roof engaging parts or to stretch wire nettingover these parts. An attempt has also been made to design the roofengaging parts so that the parts associated with the frames rest againstone another at all times. All these measures have been unsatisfactorysince it is not possible to keep the roof engaging parts at exactly thesame distances from one another at all times and to maintain these partsexactly parallel.

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved supportassembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there isprovided a movable roof support assembly for use in mineral mines; saidassembly comprising at least two individually displaceable frames, eachframe having a plurality of telescopic props with a roof engaging memberor cap mounted at the upper ends of the props, a cover member movablysupported on each roof cap, and resilient means for maintaining thecover members in a pre-determined relationship independent of theposition of the frames. These cover members completely cover the roofsurface between the adjacent frames even in mine workings with inclinedfloors.

The cover members corresponding to one of the roof caps would be firmlyclamped between the roof and the roof cap when the props of theassociated frame were set and the displaceability of the cover member inrelation to the roof cap should allow angular movements between theseparts. According to a further feature of the invention, this can beachieved by making the resilient means in the form of curved leafsprings, each of which is attached at a central portion to the side ofthe associated roof cap and each of which has free ends abutting thecover members.

Preferably each cover member has a first portion which is in slidableengagement with the upper face of its associated roof cap and extendsinwardly beyond said roof cap towards the adjacent frame and a furtherportion which depends from said first portion, the resilient meansserving to maintain said further portions of the cover members inengagement with one another.

According to a further feature of the invention, each leaf spring hasits ends movably supported on the further portion of the associatedcover member so as to maintain the further portions of the members incontact with one another. To this end there is preferably furtherprovided guide means supported on the further portion of each covermember and adapted to slidably guide the ends of the associated leafspring for movement longitudinally of the spring.

To ensure that the distance between the roof caps will not arbitrarilychange and particularly after one frame has been shifted outwardlybeyond the other frame it is preferable to provide means, such as pistonand cylinder units, operably disposed between the props of the twoframes and adapted to adjust the relative positions of the frames. Withthe aid of this adjusting means the roof caps and frame can be restoredto the required position after the pertinent frame has been removed.

In accordance with the invention, the cover member which belongs to aparticular frame which is being moved, will be always held firmly andaccurately against the adjacent cover member regardless of the positionassumed by the associated roof cap. When the aforesaid frame has beenmoved the roof cap can be restored to its correct position, i.e., at thedesired distance from the adjacent frame and roof cap, and parallelthereto by the adjusting means, so that when the props of the frame arere-set against the roof, the cover member and the roof cap associatedtherewith will have resumed the original position in relation to eachother. This cycle would be repeated for the other frame.

The invention may be understood more readily and various other featuresof the invention may become apparent from consideration of the followingdescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS A constructional embodiment of theinvention will now be described, by way of example only, with referenceto the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a part sectionalelevation of a support assembly made in accordance with the invention;and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the assembly with certain partsremoved.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings, a movablesupport assembly is composed of two displaceable frames 1', 2', eachframe I, 2' having in this construction two telescopic props 1, 2possible with a floor rail (not shown) extending between their lower endportions. The corresponding props 1, 2 of the frames 1, 2 areinterconnected by means of a piston and cylinder unit 3 and these units3 areused to maintain the frames 1', 2 in correct alignment after theframes 1', 2' have been shifted. In known manner the assembly can beshifted with shifting rams by moving each frame I, 2 in turn in awalking movement.

At the upper ends of the props l, 2 of each frame 1' 2 there is provideda roof cap or girder 4, 4 composed of upper and lower platesinterconnected by upstanding pieces to form a hollow structure. Eachroof cap 4, 4 has allocated thereto an L-shaped cover member 5,

5' and these cover members 5, 5' each rest on the upper plate of theassociated roof cap 4, 4'. Each member 5, 5 has a limb or portion 50, 50in slidable engagement with, and extending parallel to, the upper plateof the associated roof cap 4, 4' and the portion 50, 50' extendsinwardly beyond the inner side edge 11, II of the cap 4, 4 towards theother frame 1, 2'. Each member 5, 5' has a further limb or portion 6, 6'extending down from the first-mentioned portion 50, 50' andsubstantially perpendicular thereto. The portions 6, 6

of the cover members 5, 5' engage one another and have ends 60, slightlybent in towards the associated frame 1', 2' relative to the remainder ofthe portion 6, 6' to guide the portions 6, 6' as these move verticallyrelative to one another when the props of the frame 1 2 are set andextended or relieved of pressure and retracted.

Resilient means is used to maintain the portions 6, 6 together. In thisconstruction each roof cap 4, 4 has its inner side edge 11, 11' attachedto a central part of a curved leaf spring 7, 7 by means of a screw 10,10. Each leaf spring 7, 7 has its ends 8, 8' slidably received in guidemembers 9, 9 and 9, 9 respectively, attached to the inner face of theportion 6, 6 of the associated cover member 5, The springs 7, 7 serve tourge the portions 6, 6' of the members 5, 5 together and as shown inFIG. 2 this contact between the portions 6, 6' is maintained even if theframes 1' 2 are inclined in relation to one another by virtue of theguide members 9, 9 and 9, 9. In the position depicted in FIG. 2, themember 5 is inclined in relation to the associated roof cap 4 and frame1'.

I claim:

1. In a movable roof-support assembly for use in mineral mines, saidassembly comprising at least two spaced apart individually displaceableframes, each frame having a plurality of telescopic props and a roof capmounted on the upper ends of the props, the improvement thereincomprising:

a. a cover member displaceably supported on each said roof cap, saidcover member having i. a first portion slidably supported on said roofcap for movement beyond said roof cap centrally towards the spaced-apartframe; and

ii. a further portion depending from said first portion; and

b. resilient means affixed to each said cover member for urging saidcover members towards each other and for maintaining said furtherportions in continuous engagement independent of displacement changes ofsaid spaced-apart frames.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said resilient means includes curvedleaf springs operably disposed between said roof caps and their saidassociated cover members.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein each said leaf spring is attached atits central portion to its said associated roof cap.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the spring ends of each said leafspring are movably supported on its said associated cover member furtherportion.

5. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising guide means affixed toeach said cover member further portion, said guide means acting toslidably guide the free ends of said leaf spring longitudinally of saidspring.

6. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising piston and cylinder unitsdisposed between said telescopic props of said frames, said unitsoperating to adjust the relative positions of said frames.

1. In a movable roof-support assembly for use in mineral mines, saidassembly comprising at least two spaced apart individually displaceableframes, each frame having a plurality of telescopic props and a roof capmounted on the upper ends of the props, the improvement thereincomprising: a. a cover member displaceably supported on each said roofcap, said cover member having i. a first portion slidably supported onsaid roof cap for movement beyond said roof cap centrally towards thespacedapart frame; and ii. a further portion depending from said firstportion; and b. resilient means affixed to each said cover member forurging said cover members towards each other and for maintaining saidfurther portions in continuous engagement independent of displacementchanges of said spaced-apart frames.
 2. The assembly of claim 1 whereinsaid resilient means includes curved leaf springs operably disposedbetween said roof caps and their said associated cover members.
 3. Theassembly of claim 2 wherein each said leaf spring is attached at itscentral portion to its said associated roof cap.
 4. The assembly ofclaim 3 wherein the spring ends of each said leaf spring are movablysupported on its said associated cover member further portion.
 5. Theassembly of claim 2 further comprising guide means affixed to each saidcover member further portion, said guide means acting to slidably guidethe free ends of said leaf spring longitudinally of said spring.
 6. Theassembly of claim 1 further comprising piston and cylinder unitsdisposed between said telescopic props of said frames, said unitsoperating to adjust the relative positions of said frames.